Seat assembly with automatic stow feature

Abstract

A seat assembly for use with a vehicle having a vehicle body includes a seat bottom that is configured to be pivotably mounted to the vehicle body, a seat back pivotally connected to the seat bottom, a seat back latch associated with the seat back for inhibiting movement of the seat back with respect to the seat bottom, and an automatic stow arrangement for moving the seat bottom and seat back from a use position to a stowed position. The stow arrangement is associated with the seat back latch and is configured to release the seat back latch to allow the seat back to pivot in a first direction toward the seat bottom. The stow arrangement is further configured to pivot the seat bottom and seat back in a second direction opposite the first direction to the stowed position.

1. A seat assembly for use with a vehicle having a vehicle body, the assembly comprising:
 a seat bottom that is configured to be pivotably mounted to the vehicle body; 
 a seat back pivotally connected to the seat bottom; 
 a seat back latch associated with the seat back for inhibiting movement of the seat back with respect to the seat bottom; and 
 an automatic stow arrangement for moving the seat bottom and seat back from a use position to a stowed position, the stow arrangement being associated with the seat back latch and configured to release the seat back latch to allow the seat back to pivot in a first direction toward the seat bottom, the stow arrangement further being configured to pivot the seat bottom and seat back in a second direction opposite the first direction to the stowed position. 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an additional latch associated with the seat bottom and being configured to engage the vehicle body to inhibit movement of the seat bottom with respect to the vehicle body, wherein the stow arrangement is configured to automatically release the additional latch to allow the seat bottom to pivot. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 2  wherein the stow arrangement includes a locking mechanism that is configured to inhibit pivotal movement of the seat back away from the seat bottom after the additional latch has been released. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the seat back latch is moveable between a first latch position for inhibiting pivotal movement of the seat back toward the seat bottom and a second latch position for inhibiting pivotal movement of the seat back away from the seat bottom after the seat back has pivoted toward the seat bottom, the locking mechanism includes a locking member connected to the additional latch and being moveable between a first position and a second position for releasing the additional latch, and wherein the locking member is engageable with the seat back latch when the seat back latch is in the second latch position to inhibit movement of the seat back latch, thereby inhibiting pivotal movement of the seat back away from the seat bottom. 
     
     
       5. The assembly of  claim 4  wherein the locking mechanism further includes a moveable lever that is engageable with the locking member when the locking member is in the first position to inhibit movement of the locking member toward the second position, and wherein the seat back is engageable with the lever when the seat back pivots toward the seat bottom to thereby disengage the lever from the locking member. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of  claim 4  wherein the stow arrangement includes a puller mechanism connected to the seat back latch for moving the seat back latch away from the first latch position, such that the seat back latch engages the locking member and moves the locking member from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
       7. The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a mounting arrangement associated with the seat bottom for mounting the seat bottom to the vehicle body, the mounting arrangement including a pivot member about which the seat bottom may pivot. 
     
     
       8. The assembly of  claim 7  wherein the stow arrangement includes a drive mechanism connected to the seat bottom and being engageable with the pivot member to automatically pivot the seat bottom. 
     
     
       9. The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the pivot member includes an elongated pivot body and a first gear fixed to the pivot body, and wherein the drive mechanism includes a second gear that is engageable with the first gear. 
     
     
       10. The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the stow arrangement includes a motorized puller mechanism connected to the seat back latch for releasing the seat back latch. 
     
     
       11. A seat assembly for use with a vehicle having a vehicle body, the seat assembly comprising:
 a seat bottom; 
 a mounting arrangement associated with the seat bottom for mounting the seat bottom to the vehicle body, the mounting arrangement including a pivot member about which the seat bottom may pivot; 
 a first latch associated with the seat bottom and being engageable with the vehicle body for inhibiting movement of the seat bottom with respect to the vehicle body; 
 a seat back pivotally connected to the seat bottom; 
 a second latch associated with the seat back for inhibiting movement of the seat back with respect to the seat bottom; and 
 an automatic stow arrangement for moving the seat bottom and seat back from a use position to a stowed position, the stow arrangement being associated with the first and second latches and configured to release the latches to allow the seat back to pivot in a first direction toward the seat bottom, and to allow the seat bottom and seat back to pivot together in a second direction opposite the first direction to the stowed position, the stow arrangement including a biasing member associated with the seat back for urging the seat back to pivot in the first direction toward the seat bottom, a locking mechanism that is configured to inhibit movement of the seat back away from the seat bottom after the first latch has been released, and a drive mechanism connected to the seat bottom and being engageable with the pivot member to automatically pivot the seat bottom and seat back to the stowed position.